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Central America Panama Exotic Islands of Panama, Central America Bocas del Toro Birding

Overview

Birding

The guide was updated: 2024-09-15

Bocas del Toro is one of Panama's best places for birding. According to the Audubon Society, one can spot 300+ species of birds in a day. Bird Island is named for its glorious abundance of birds and can be accessed easily by boat when the water is calm. Bocas in general is a paradise for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. Planned birding tours include a preparatory talk about the geography and bird life in the area of Red Frog National Park. During the tour you'll have the opportunity to see and hear trogons, ant birds, forest wrens, puff birds, tanagers, parrots, mot-mots and many other bird species. You can also visit other hot spots in the region on some of the other islands. • Carenero • Bastimentos (Red Frog) • Bird Island

Useful Information

Our travel guides are free to read and explore online. If you want to get your own copy, the full travel guide for this destination is available to you offline* to bring along anywhere or print for your trip.

*this will be downloaded as a PDF.

Price

€4,95

Purchase

Island Tours

Island Tours

All activities can be organized through the various tour operators on the islands. Water taxis are less expensive and make exploring the islands on your own a more affordable option. If you plan on a more leisurely exploration of the islands, sailing may be the best option for you.

Diving

Diving

The Bocas del Toro region is part of the larger La Amistad area, which holds Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site statuses for its rich ecosystems, including the reefs of Panama’s Bastimentos National Marine Park. The waters are inhabited by a wonderful variety of tropical reef creatures including starfish, sting rays, nurse sharks, lobster, angel fish, parrot fish, damsel fish – the list is endless. Dive schools regularly visit up to 15 locations with depth ranges from 2 to 18 meters inside the bay area. Many centers offer try-dives, open water courses and education right through to dive master. Some dive sites include Crawl Cay, The Wreck, Hospital Point, Buoy Line, Playground and many more. The best time of year for diving is April-May and Sept-October but there is good visibility year round.

Surfing

Surfing

Bocas is one of the very few Caribbean surf spots with good sized waves. There may be better and bigger waves in the Pacific, but here, when you surf, you do it in turquoise waters, while you ride above colorful coral reefs or white sand. There are beach breaks, point breaks and reef breaks, lefts, and rights for all tastes and preferences. You can find breaks three minutes away from Isla Colon. The preferred surf spots are Wizard, Bluff, Punch, The Point at Carenero and Tiger Tail. It is important to visit these spots with somebody who knows the area, especially if you will be surfing over a reef break.

Spot Dolphins

Spot Dolphins

Visit Dolphin Bay and spot dolphins in their natural habitat.

Visit a Chocolate Farm

Visit a Chocolate Farm

Bocas Del Toro is home to some of the best cacao farms in the world and chocolate artisans are flocking to the region to grow, harvest and create chocolate libations to satisfy any sweet tooth. Tours are readily available to learn about the process of farming and producing cocoa.

Birding

Birding

Bocas del Toro is one of Panama's best places for birding. According to the Audubon Society, one can spot 300+ species of birds in a day. Bird Island is named for its glorious abundance of birds and can be accessed easily by boat when the water is calm. Bocas in general is a paradise for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. Planned birding tours include a preparatory talk about the geography and bird life in the area of Red Frog National Park. During the tour you'll have the opportunity to see and hear trogons, ant birds, forest wrens, puff birds, tanagers, parrots, mot-mots and many other bird species. You can also visit other hot spots in the region on some of the other islands. • Carenero • Bastimentos (Red Frog) • Bird Island

Visit Nivida Bat Cave

Visit Nivida Bat Cave

Hire a boat captain at the Bastimentos boat dock on Main Street or arrange a tour with a tour operator and they will navigate you up the Bahia Honda River. You will then hike for about 20 minutes before reaching Bocas' most spectacular cave located in the Bastimentos National Marine Park. There’s a guide from the Bahia Honda community who will take you through the cave. The water comes up pretty high so expect to get wet. There are other bat caves in the area but not as impressive as Nivida.

Visit an indigenous tribe

Visit an indigenous tribe

If you’re looking for a different side of Bocas, you’ll find it hidden in the indigenous villages tucked away in the forests on every island. The indigenous Ngöbe-Buglé and Naso continue to live without modern luxuries such as running water, electricity and medicine. They know how to get around the forests of the islands and speak their own language, make their own clothing and crafts, and cure illnesses with local plants prepared by medicine men known as curanderos. To learn more about living in the wild in these unspoiled communities, book a tour with an operator or if you’re staying in a remote hotel, ask the owners, there may be a village nearby.

Kayaking/ Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP)

Kayaking/ Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP)

Some hotels have their own kayaks including Lula’s and Cocomo but if you want to see the islands and surrounding reefs up-close in a boat, you can rent one at BiBi’s on the beach in Carenero. Ask any boat driver to take you there from Isla Colon. Kayak rentals are based on hourly rates. BiBi’s also rents Stand Up Paddle Boards and offers lessons hourly.

Bicycling

Bicycling

Explore Isla Colon on a scenic ride all the way to Bluff Beach. The bicycle is the most popular means of transportation after water taxis.

Finca Los Monos

Finca Los Monos

This beautiful farm located on Isla Colon has large collections of heleconias, gingers, palms, flowering trees, fruits, spices and ornamentals. While hiking through the finca you may see howler monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and tiny colorful frogs. There is a wide variety of fruits such as cacao, guava, mammee also known as mamey, nutmeg, passion fruit, pineapple, papaya, tamarind, and nine varieties of bananas, among others. A wide variety of birds call the farm home drawn by its abundance of fruit and flowers.

Bluff Beach

Bluff Beach

Bluff Beach, located on Isla Colon, is becoming a hot destination for beach lounge chilling and has a reputation for great surfing.

Boca del Drago

Boca del Drago

This beautiful palm-fringed white sand beach is a 45 minute drive from town on the other side of Isla Colon. It is a prime location for swimming, snorkeling, and relaxing.

Starfish Beach

Starfish Beach

This popular beach is located on Isla Colon and is a great place for swimming. Many starfish hang out in the shallow water near the shore. It can only be reached by water taxi.

Isla Carenero

Isla Carenero

Isla Carenero is a one minute boat ride from Isla Colon. The beach is on the back-side of the island with shallow clear waters welcoming swimmers. Near Bibi’s beach, there is a large shallow area called “the kiddie pool” by locals which is a great place to hang out in the water and wade in shallow pools. Ask the boat driver to drop you off at Bibi’s or Peter Kent´s for dock access. All beaches are public.

Wizard Beach

Wizard Beach

Wizard Beach on Bastimentos Island offers swimming in certain areas, diving at Dolphin Rock, snorkeling and surfing. This beach is good for learning to surf as there are no rocks, and the waves aren’t high.

Red Frog Beach

Red Frog Beach

This beach is located on Bastimentos Island and is one of Panama’s most beautiful surf and swimming beaches. This is the only place in the world where the red poison dart frog lives in its natural habitat. Food and drinks are sold in the recently refurbished bar. There are high-end rentals available as well as a hostel for budget travelers, a deep water marina, and soon to open zip lines.

Coral Cay (Crawl Cay)

Coral Cay (Crawl Cay)

This small island near Bastimentos is a perfect snorkeling destination where you can spot all kinds of coral and fish. This is one of the few places where you can grab a meal while out on a day tour and therefore is almost always a regular pit stop for most boat tours.

Cayos Zapatillas

Cayos Zapatillas

Cayos Zapatillas offer some of the best skin diving in the marine park, windward from Crawl Cay. The variety of underwater ecosystems includes fan gardens and coral reefs. Choose from a variety of depths and currents to suit your skills. More intrepid and experienced divers can explore a series of nearby caves at a depth of 40 feet and require underwater lights.

Ziplining

Ziplining

The sky canopy tour on Bastimentos Island is a great rush for adventure seekers. You can spend the morning relaxing at Red Frog beach and hike over to the canopy tour for the ropes course and tons of treetop ziplining. There are seven zip lines and excellent tour guides that are knowledgeable and friendly. Kids are welcome but will have to meet weight and height restrictions.

Dining

Dining

As in any coastal destination, seafood is the star in Bocas del Toro. From high-end to popular local street vendors, Bocas del Toro offers a little bit of everything. Popular dishes are “pulpo” (octopus) and “patacones” (fried plantains) among other Caribbean specialties. Many restaurants are on the water making the experience a scenic and entertaining one.

Cosmic Crab Cafe

Cosmic Crab Cafe

The Cosmic Crab Cafe located on Carenero features fish and seafood appetizers and entrees, as well as an extensive menu featuring dishes like Mango Chutney Barbecue Ribs, and Jerusalem style Hummus. Crab cakes with a spicy remoulade is a Cosmic Crab Signature dish. It certainly has the most extensive and original cocktail menu in Bocas. Joan Crabtree, Cosmic Crab owner and top mixologist, serves up fabulous tasting cocktails such as Hot & Dirty Martini or Sex in the Mud. The Margarita family at the Cosmic Crab is worth trying: Razzarita, Minty Maggie, Mango Margo, Passionate Rita, and the Hot Passionate Rita - a jalapeño infused tequila with fresh passion fruit.

Nightlife

Nightlife

When the sun goes down, the music pumps up and Bocas del Toro becomes a party town. There are many night clubs and bars on the water, cozy lounges, taverns and the streets are packed with people going places until the wee hours. The atmosphere is beach casual and people from all over the world mingle with the friendly locals.

Barco Hundido

Barco Hundido

This is the most popular nightclub in Bocas del Toro, where the music blasts on the dock’s dance floor, surrounding a shipwreck lit by spotlights, until the early hours of the morning.

Toro Loco

Toro Loco

Good old rock and roll, a cold beer, great food, a dartboard, live music, and your favourite sports game on the TV… what else do you need?

Gran Hotel Bahia

Gran Hotel Bahia

Built in 1905, it is one of Isla Colon’s oldest historic buildings and was constructed to accommodate the main offices of the United Fruit Company, today known as Chiquita Brands International. Conveniently located close to all the main attractions on Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro, Gran Hotel Bahia offers 18 spacious and comfortable rooms, all of them with air conditioning, cable TV and private bathrooms with hot water. Its relaxing and friendly atmosphere makes you feel at home. After the latest renovation, the new Deluxe Plus rooms are available on the upper floor, each with a king size bed, full sofa bed, mini-fridge and flat panel TV. There also is a remodeled room on the lower floor to meet the needs of guests with impaired mobility, with two double beds and all the facilities required for their convenience.

Airport

Airport

Bocas del Toro "Isla Colón" International Airport (BOC) is located on Isla Colón, about 1.5 km from downtown Bocas del Toro. Air Panama – Panama’s only domestic airline flies to Bocas del Toro with three scheduled flights 6:30 am, 3:30 pm and 4pm.

Bus

Bus

The bus station in Panama City is located at Albrook Mall – tickets to Almirante, Bocas del Toro can be purchased at wickets in the terminal or by phone. Once you have reached the Almirante port, take a water taxi to Isla Colon also known as Bocas. Boats depart every 30 minutes to Bocas starting at 6:00 a.m. and finishing at 6:00 p.m. If you arrive at the port after 6 p.m., you will have to stay overnight in a nearby hotel which is not ideal. The boat ride from Almirante to Isla Colon takes about 25 to 30 minutes.

Water Taxis

To reach the nearby islands and beaches, you can hire taxis operating motorized boats. As a general rule, you should always sort out the rate beforehand, and clarify whether it is for one way or round trip. From Isla Colon to most destinations on Carenero, rates range between $1.00 and $2.00. For longer trips, the rates will be higher. Try to negotiate nicely and remember the drivers are not trying to rip you off, they are providing a service and trying to support their families.

Bicycle

Bicycle daily rentals are available at Island Bicycles. Take them for a test drive before heading on any long ride to ensure everything is working.

ATV rentals

ATV rentals

Renting ATV vehicles requires a valid driver’s license.

Money

There are 2 ATMs on Isla Colon, both located in Banco Nacional on the way to the airport. Currency related: Although credit cards are accepted in some businesses, many restaurants and tour operators have a cash only policy. Make sure to use small denomination bills, especially when dealing with water taxis.

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